The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)

Mahoney trade adds toughness

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When I’m moving, I’m tough to slow down.”

When Coach Iain Duncan set out to add some toughness to his team, he wasn’t looking for a thug who will drop the gloves and fight with anybody wearing an opposing sweater. Instead, he wanted a player who will check an opponent hard into the boards. Mahoney fits that need. It is something the Ice Breakers have lacked in their first season in the Federal Hockey League.

“He’s a big, strong kid,” Duncan said. “I’m looking for more size in our lineup. We have lots of speed. We have to continue to get bigger if we can. He became available, and I took advantage of it.”

Duncan had a reputation of being a physical left wing in his days as a pro hockey player. He spent four seasons with the Winnipeg Jets and eight seasons in the minors. Duncan was nicknamed “Slam” for his aggressive style.

“With some more size, we’re going to continue to be physical,” Duncan said. “If you get hit continuous­ly by somebody 20, 30 or 40 pounds heavier, you’re going to feel the brunt of it.

“That’s my adage. I’m back to my old school. If every left winger hits the right defenseman every single shift multiple times, that right defenseman by the third period is probably going to be giving the puck away more than making a great play. It’s like a quarterbac­k in football. go attack the puck carrier. Make him make a bad play. Don’t let him make a good play.”

Duncan still believes the last-place Ice Breakers will make the playoffs. They have some work to do. They are 9-25-0-0-2, good for 29 points in the six-team league. They have to leap Danville (12-22-0-20) and catch fourth-place Port Huron (14-21-0-2-1, 47 points) to make the playoffs.

The Thunderbir­ds, their opponents this weekend, are in command at 33-40-0-1. They won an FHLrecord 24 straight games before losing 3-2 to Watertown on Feb. 11.

“I wanted to be the team that beat them,” said Duncan, a little disappoint­ed another team ended the Carolina winning streak.

Mahoney is unfazed about being traded from the first-place team to the last-place team.

“To be honest, I didn’t play pro hockey to win a championsh­ip. I play because I love the game,” Mahoney said. “I got close to a lot of those guys, but when you’re on the ice there are no friends at all. I’m looking forward to getting back at ‘em and getting two wins this weekend.”

An open skate with the Ice Breakers is scheduled for fans after the Feb. 15 game.

 ?? MICHAEL P. PAYNE — FOR THE NEWS-HERALD ?? Tommy Mahoney skates against the Ice Breakers while he was a member of the Carolina Thunderbir­ds on Jan. 27.
MICHAEL P. PAYNE — FOR THE NEWS-HERALD Tommy Mahoney skates against the Ice Breakers while he was a member of the Carolina Thunderbir­ds on Jan. 27.

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